WAXAHACHIE, TX – A 21-year-old man, Lincer Lopez, lost his life on Saturday while trying to save a teenage girl drowning in Lake Waxahachie. The Waxahachie Police Department reported that rescue crews were dispatched to Boat Dock Park following reports of a drowning around 12:45 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers found out that Lopez had drowned while attempting to rescue the girl, who was part of the group celebrating Lopez’s baptism. Post the baptism ceremony, the group was recreating in the lake when the girl started drowning. Lopez dove into the water to aid her.
A nearby boater responded to the crisis, pulling the girl from the water and performing CPR. Her life was saved, but Lopez was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
WFAA spoke with Lopez’s uncle, Jacobo Lopez, who shared his nephew’s anticipation for his baptism. Describing the incident, he remembered Lopez as a hero, stating he did not hesitate in risking his life to save another.
The boater who saved the girl, Jacob Bell, offered his condolences to Lopez’s family, acknowledging the potency of their loss as his brother had drowned at the age of three. He praised Lopez’s courage and strength.
The Waxahachie Police Department expressed their deepest condolences to Lopez’s family in a Facebook post. A devoted worker in construction, Lopez regularly sent funds to his siblings in Mexico. In an effort to support the family with the repatriation of Lopez’s body, a GoFundMe campaign was started.